DB - just look outside your accommodation for the ant-lion; theres loads of them in the camps. If you see any conical depressions in the ground (look for sandy ground) with a tiny little hole at the bottom, pluck a blade of grass and very gently stroke it around the hole and see what happens....

The more barbaric way of doing it is to coax a normal ant into one of the holes and watch - fascinating!

Krokodile wrote:DB - just look outside your accommodation for the ant-lion; theres loads of them in the camps. If you see any conical depressions in the ground (look for sandy ground) with a tiny little hole at the bottom, pluck a blade of grass and very gently stroke it around the hole and see what happens....

The more barbaric way of doing it is to coax a normal ant into one of the holes and watch - fascinating!

Thanks - I am going to do that. I have seen their 'holes' in Kruger but never tried to get the critters out to look at them. We don't get them here at the coast, well if we do, not in any great numbers as it is damp down here.
I have also seen a shrew in my garden, but again don't know enough to say exactly which one. I doubt whether it was an elephant shrew again being on the coast.

I have seen all 5, often (they're not really rare, just in the little 5 because of their names). A good place to look for elephant shrews might be water tanks - we had more than one end up in ours on the farm

Mothers hold their children's hands for a while and their hearts forever

The ant lion (Myrmeleontidae) is an odd yet familiar feature of the bushveld, digging conical
depressions in dry, soft sand with which to trap its prey - ants. In advanced stages this
larvae-like creature has wings and sometimes resembles a dragonfly, although it's not well-
adapted for flight.

Buffalo weaver

Red-billed buffalo weavers (Bubarlornis niger) are social birds that build their nests in the
forked branches of tall trees. They nest in open colonies and are a rather noisy and busy
lot. The weavers' nests can be recognised by their rather bedraggled state, made from
coarse grasses and with untidy twig structures.

Rhinoceros beetle

The rhinoceros beetle (Scarabaeinae dynastinae) is one of the largest beetles to in
Southern Africa, with horns on its head much like those of its larger namesake. Both males
and females are horned, but only the males are known for aggressive behaviour, using the
horns to fight rivals. The horns are also used to dig, climb and mate.

Leopard tortoise

The leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) is a striking feature of the bushveld landscape,
getting its name from its black and yellow spotted shell. The animal is one of the largest
breeds of tortoise in this part of the world; a mature leopard tortoise can weigh over 23kg,
with a shell circumference of up to one metre. The males are larger than the females.

Younger tortoises have dark brown patterns while adult shells take on shades of yellow
with somewhat smaller spots. Leopard tortoises live in savannah and grassland areas, close
to water.

Elephant shrew

This tiny insectivore lives in arid lowlands, rocky outcrops and savannah grasslands,
getting its name from its elongated snout. Elephant shrews (Elephantulus myurus) are
found all over South Africa, and only grow to a length of 250mm, with an average weight
of 60g. They feed on insects, fruit, seeds and nuts.

They in turn are food for snakes and raptors, making them extremely shy and wary. The
chances of spotting them are slim indeed, so if you manage to see an elephant shrew
before an actual elephant you can count your safari a real success.

Good place to look for elephant shrew is on rocky outcrops. Have seen many round Punda Maria area. If you do the Nyalaland trail will definately find them on and around the ancient ruins. Just sit quietly and they appear!